To ensure free and fair election, EC will make use of information technology based applications for the improved facilitation of various stakeholders like electors, election managers, political parties and candidates. With a view to ensure efficient and effective monitoring of various elections processes and redressal of public grievances, the commission has launched various IT initiatives on Thursday. These are Nivaran, Suvidha, Sugam and one mobile application for capturing assured minimum facilities for voters. Aside from CEC Nasim Zaidi, EC Achal Kumar Jyoti, EC OP Rawat, DEC Sandeep Saxena, DG(Exp.) Dilip Sharma, Sr Principal Secretary RK Srivastava, Director Dhirendra Ojha and CEO Radha Raturi were present on the occasion.
For the redressal of grievances, redress system would be put into place to provide a unified and integrated platform for the registration and tracking of all kinds of complaints/grievances/concerns and suggestions from the citizens candidates through mobile, landline, call-centre, SMS, email, fax etc.
The officials have been directed to enquire into the complaints within the specified time-limits (depending on the nature of complaint) and close the case with feedback to the complainant. In case, the time-limit is breached for any reason, there is a provision of automatic escalation to the higher officers.
A single window system for the political parties and the candidates seeking different permissions during the electioneering phase would be operationalised. It will provide single window clearance within 24 hours for all kinds of permissions in constituencies through online software.
Applications can be submitted online/through mobile application. If the application is received offline, it will be uploaded in the system and processed thereafter.
Any delay by RO /ARO or any other agency will be viewed seriously. During the elections, district machinery will also ensure that all political parties will have full and equal opportunity to campaign viz. holding meetings and rallies.
DMs will monitor that the permissions are granted within prescribed time frame. This system will also ensure first come first allocation of ground for rallies etc.
Sugam: Vehicle Management System-
It is a web-based application for managing the vehicles requisitioned during election period. The details of vehicles, driver contacts, periodical fuel allotment to the vehicles are captured in the software. It will not only enable efficient and smooth management and operations of the vehicles but also calculates the detailed hire charges, POl requirement, usage and generates complete MIS reports for most optimum utilization of the vehicles and enables quick, correct and time-bound clearance of all bills/vouchers.
EPDS (Election Personnel Deployment System)-
EPDS (Election Personnel Deployment System), a software, is designed to facilitate and streamline the collection, compilation and preparation of the database of various categories of Central and State government employees available for poll duties and will also enable systematic deployment of poll personnel in a transparent manner as per the commission’s instructions so as to eliminate possibilities of human biases and errors.